COLWALL suffered their third Worcestershire League Division One setback as they failed to score enough runs in a three-wicket defeat by Evesham at Stowe Lane.

Electing to bat on a decent wicket, Colwall managed to reach 75-1, but floundered to 158 all out.

Although spin-bowling brothers James and Ben Febery shared seven wickets in lengthy spells after tea, an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 40 saw Evesham home.

After lost Joe Blight in the fifth over Colwall recovered steadily as Ben Febery and James Waters added 68 against a tight bowling attack and a deep-set field.

But once Water was caught for 23 Evesham gradually got on top, with Febery falling for 41.

When skipper Ben Cooke and James Abel soon followed cheaply Colwall were struggling on 101-5 with just 15 overs left.

Fergus Cameron stayed put to reach a dogged 29, but he received scant support from the tail as the hosts subsided to 158 all out in the final over.

In contrast Evesham openers Ali Asghari (19) and Ali Shan (30) rattled up a stand of 60 in nine overs before Ben Febery had both caught.

Colwall then gradually hauled their way back into the contest as James Febery also struck twice to penetrate the middle order.

When he trapped Wajahat Chohan leg before in the 28th over the visitors looked in deep trouble on 122-7.

Tail-enders Nasir Mehmood and Alex Cleaves took their time to settle but then a flurry of boundaries saw them home.

James Febery finished with 4-54 off nearly 16 overs, while brother Ben capped an impressive all-round display with 3-48 from 13 overs.

On a day when chronic unavailability caused the cancellation of the fourth team game at Woolhope and hampered the performance of all three sides Colwall seconds were never in the hunt at Droitwich.

Colwall found runs hard to come by and eventually folded to 113 all out a target that Droitwich passed with ease to win by nine wickets.

Colwall thirds suffered a similar fate as they lost their opening Marches League Division Two clash by eight wickets against leaders Canon Frome.

Nick Pannions (22) and Adam Greaves (34) steadied the innings, but once they departed only Damian Berry (30) put up much resistance in a below par total of 119.

Berry and Ash Jones both claimed a wicket when Canon Frome replied but there were no further problems as San Pratley (49 not out) and Tim Robertson (30 not out) saw the visitors home with ease.